My daughter is terrified of dogs- Help!!?

Question

My 5 year old daughter is afraid of dog (big, little), cats and any animal, but mostly dogs. She will scream bloody murder and run crying in the house or want someone to hold her. You can see her shaking she is so terrified. To make matters worse we have to go to my husbands brothers house a few times a year for birthdays and Christmas and they have two fairly small dogs. EVERY year we go through the same thing- they put the dogs up for about thirty minutes then they let them out and all hell breaks loose. My daughter goes screaming and crying and stands on thier couch or my husband has to hold her. I think this is VERY rude of them. They invite us to thier house, shouldn't they have to keep the dog put up until we leave especially seeing how it affects our child? Please let me know if I am wrong. We just attended a birthday party there last weekend and I was so pissed off by the time we left that I am not even looking forward to going for Christmas.

We have taked her to the zoo and she is fine with that, as long as they are in a cage she knows they can't get to her.

From the time she was five months old to almost four years old her babysitter that she stayed with everyday had a dog(a tiny chiwawa) and she had no problem with it. I have pictures of her with it in her lap- but during that time that was the only dog she wasn't afraid of, and it NEVER bit her. About a month before she started preschool her sitter had to have her dog put to sleep because it was very old and sick, and my daughter always said ChiChi was in doggy heaven.

We always try to hold her and let her pet small dogs to show her that it is OK but unless they are in a cage she freaks out. She loves to go to the pet store and look around too. When I ask her about it she just says she is afraid they will bite her.

Answer 1

Take her to the zoo! Or take time to read books or watch certain movies about "friendly" animals/pets. I was terrified of dogs, too, as a young child...and really the only way my parents could deal was to find the nicest, friendliest dog they could, and convince me (which took FOREVER, they say) to pet it. Start with something like goldfish in the pet store....show her some other small animals in cages, and then graduate to bigger animals.

Honestly, I'm still scared of big dogs or random dogs wandering the street though...lol.

Was she bitten or attacked by a dog or something? Usually that is what scares a child in the first place.

Answer 2

Honey it took me 24 years to get over my horrible fear of dogs. I was the same way. I suggest that if they don't respect her and put their dogs away for the parties, don't go!!!!!

I suggest the following steps, that helped me get over my fear of all dogs:
1) have her look at picture books of dogs, and have her pick out the type of dog she thinks is the cutest
2) give her books on that breed to read and look over
3) now, take her to a local pet store and have her look at that breed behind a window
4) when she's comfortable with the above, then she'll probably want to start petting that breed, let her try petting a puppy

I did those above steps with black lab puppies, they were the ONLY breed I wasn't scared of for some reason, they are just so cute!!! Then eventually I got my own black lab puppy (who is now 2.5)! He's my best friend. Now I go to dog parks and can be surrounded by hundreds of dogs and I have no fear at all. Try those steps, good luck!

Answer 3

Your daughter has had a negative experience of some kind with animals (i.e. dogbit, spooked as a smaller child, or a nightmare of some kind), and you need to help her see that animals are fun. A petting zoo or some kind of place where she can see the animals (from a distance, if needed) might help. She might grow out of this, but until she does, she will need help. Perhaps a toy animal (stuffed dog, cat, or one of those toys that are on the shelf nowadays) could help. As for the relative's place--they should understand your daughter's problem, however, they have to balance that with the dog's need to exercise and socialize. Try to see if some middle ground can be reached here--until your daughter gets better around animals. Good luck!

Answer 4

My suggestion is as far as going to people's houses that have pets, let the person know you would love to visit, but your child has a fear, and until she conquers it, you would prefer for the animals be put in a seperate area, and tell them that if that is a problem, you understand and wont be able to make it to their house.

As for the fear, some of us are afraid of spiders, or snakes... some call them pets, dogs & cats are the same. As a child I was afraid of dogs, I got that from my mom, I guess I sensed her fear. But for my grade 2 graduation present my parents bought me a yellow lab! as an only child he became my sibling and best friend, and my fear for animals vanished. Im not sure if that is something you are willing to do, but it will familurize her with 4 legged friends, and show her they have feelings, and get scared, and are loving.

Answer 5

When you visit another person's house, it is unfair to ask them to put their dogs away. The dogs are part of the family. As long as the dogs are friendly, they should be allowed in the areas where they usually go. You are not doing your daughter any favors by picking her up, or letting her stand on the couch when dogs are around. You are just reinforcing her fears. She is probably picking up on your tension before you even get there. The next time you go to this house, don't even mention the dogs. If you daughter starts to panic, assure her calmly that the dogs just want to sniff her. Tell her it's their way of saying hello. If she gets up on the furniture, tell her it's bad manners, and to get down. When she wants to be picked up, distract her with a toy or book. Good luck.

Answer 6

well dont give up hope and try an takkle the issue by asking her why she is afraid of dogs and once u got teh answer try and have her be in a room alone with a puppy or small dog that is very frindely.for about 30 minutes and if things get bad in there take her out. if that doesnt work then almost nothing will,i can just giess there is other things 2 do i but i dont know all of them.

Answer 7

I don't think you are wrong for getting angry they should put the dogs up it wont hurt them but what the dogs do to your daughter will. They can cause psychological damage to the poor child. I don't know of any ways to get her use to dogs especially with her having to go through that sort of forced interaction with the animals

Answer 8

1. I say it childs abuse on the idiot brother cause they can face serious charges.2. It take time for her to get over it. 3. Buy a mechanical play dog wre she throw a ball the dog catches it then pop it out of it mouth. , or a stuff dog little by little play with her.4. show her a pet shops, or movies like Lassie.6. SHow her some kids movies like AIR BOUND I,M SURE DISNEY HAVE A VERIETY OF GOOD MOVIES. SWEETY SO MANY WAYS YOU MUST HAVE ALOT OF PATIENCE. REMEMBER YOUR CHILD COME FIRST THESE IDIOTS JUST LOVE TO SEE A KIDS BEING AFAIDS THEY GET OFF.7. LUCKY 7 SAY THE **** AWAY FROM THEM THIS HOLIDAYS BECAUSE IF THEY RESPECTS THE LITTLE ONE THEN YOU RESPECTS THEM, SAY HOME LET THEM COME TO YOUR HOUSE NO DOG PLEASE, OR I,LL CALL THE COPS SORRY.

Answer 9

my daughter is 7 yrs old and she would do the same thing.but than she kinda wanted apuppy so i got a puppy she started crying but than after awhile she got use to him and now shes not scared anymore.try taking her to that house more often until she gets use to the dogs.than she'll realize that the dogs just want to play.

Answer 10

Its commonplace... Im afraid of a sizable sort of issues when you consider that i became into basically a baby till finally this present day... Heck i became into afraid of clowns up till i became into 13.... (like i might actually cry/cover) while maximum toddlers my age might pass as much as them like crazzzzzy... i became into afraid if thunderstorms too i assume as you age you initiate getting issues like such... i does not problem approximately it... she'll likely advance out of small issues like this. for my section i think of its commonplace.. if i observed a house turn the different way up in front of my eyes at 12 years previous identity be terrified.... even at this age. I undergo in recommendations my mom getting attacked up a dogs while she became into youthful and shes nevertheless afraid of canines... i propose now that shes older she dosnt practice it as plenty while somebody walks their dogs in front of her or beside her yet she says shes nevertheless afraid of them.. only found out to no longer make a brilliant deal out of it..